Germany is looking to address hate speech on the Telegram messaging platform, even leaving open the possibility of banning the service.

Telegram is a messaging service that offers end-to-end encryption (E2EE), making it a prime competitor to WhatsApp and Signal. In addition to E2EE, the app has strong support for groups, making it as much a chat as messaging platform.

As with all E2EE services, some use Telegram for illegal and unwanted behavior. Germany has been struggling with far-right groups, something the country is especially sensitive to, given its past.

In response, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, left open the possibility of banning the app in statements to Die Zeit, via The Independent. 

“We cannot rule this out,” she said. “A shutdown would be grave and clearly a last resort. All other options must be exhausted first.”